Dr. Allen Kurta

Professor

401E Mark Jefferson Science Complex

734.487.1174

akurta@emich.edu

Education

B.S. Michigan State University

M.S. Michigan State University

Ph.D. Boston University

Interests and Expertise

My students and I are interested in the ecology, behavior, and natural history of mammals, with an emphasis on bats. Our studies have examined diet, distribution, nocturnal behavior, echolocation, roost selection, and daily and seasonal movements of various species. Much of our work involves radiotracking and monitoring bats that live in trees, especially the evening bat and the endangered Indiana bat. More recently, we have been involved in studies concerning the activity of bats at wind farms and are monitoring our hibernating populations for the arrival of white-nose syndrome—the most devastating wildlife disease ever in North America. In addition, we have on-going projects concerning the diet and parasites of bats on Puerto Rico. The data that we are accumulating will aid in the conservation and management of these intriguing mammals.

Publications

BOOKS

Kurta, A. 2017. Mammals of the Great Lakes Region. Third Edition. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 404 pages.

Kurta, A. 2008. Bats of Michigan. Indiana State University Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation, Terre Haute, Indiana, 72 pp.

Winhold, L., and A. Kurta. 2008. Netting surveys for bats in the Northeast: differences associated with habitat, duration of netting, and use of consecutive nights. Northeastern Naturalist, 15(2):263-274.